WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission today certified $ 689,270.98 in matching funds to six Presidential candidates. The U.S. Treasury Department will make the payments on the first of next month.

This raises to $ 60,663,907.69 the total amount of federal funds certified thus far to 10 Presidential candidates eligible to receive federal primary matching funds. The total '96 pre-convention certifications to 11 candidates was $58,538,356.15.

The following chart lists the amount certified to each candidate, along with the cumulative amount each has been certified to date.

CANDIDATE

CERTIFICATION

TODAY

CUMULATIVE CERTIFICATIONS

(including today’s)

Gary L. Bauer (R)

$ 35,106.01

$ 4,860,166.94

Bill Bradley (D)

$ 0.00

$ 12,462,047.69

Patrick J. Buchanan (Ref)

$ 202,103.93

$ 4,326,522.44

Al Gore (D)

$ 0.00

$ 15,456,083.75

John Hagelin (NL)

$ 76,677.00

$ 650,347.06

Alan L. Keyes (R)

$ 226,214.69

$ 4,247,219.60

Lyndon H. LaRouche, Jr. (D)

$ 90,012.65

$ 1,375,129.60

John McCain (R)

$ 0.00

$ 14,475,333.10

Ralph Nader (G)

$ 59,156.70

$ 723,307.65

Dan Quayle (R)

$ 0.00

$ 2,087,749.46

To be eligible to receive Federal Matching Funds, a candidate must first raise $100,000 in contributions from individuals: $5,000-plus in 20 different states, in amounts of no more than $250 from any individual contributor. Candidates must also agree to abide by spending limits, to keep certain records, and to submit those records for audit.

Candidates may submit requests for funds once each month. The Commission will certify an amount to be paid by the U.S. Treasury the following month. Only contributions from individuals in amounts of no more than $250 are matchable. Following the primary season, or their departure from the race, candidates may be entitled to receive additional matching funds to assist in winding down their campaigns or to retire debts.

Certifications of $67.56 million each have also been made for the general election campaigns of Bush-Cheney and Gore-Lieberman The Commission has previously certified $13,512,000 for each of the two major political parties, and $2,522,690 for the Reform Party (total = $29,546,690) for their 2000 Presidential Nominating Conventions.